Srs should not beg HI to play for India: Dhanraj

Former India hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay has advised the five senior players who have been issued show cause notices by Hockey India, for leaving the Bangalore camp to attend a promotional event, not to beg the federation to play for the country.

"They should not fall at the feet of Hockey India officials to play for India," said Pillay, on the sidelines of a media conference in Mumbai to announce the launch of the first Virar-Vasai Mayor's Marathon on September 18.

The five seniors -- Arjun Halappa, Sandeep Singh, Adrian D'Souza, Sardara Singh and Prabhjot Singh -- left the camp in Bangalore to attend a media conference by rival body Indian Hockey Federation and Neo Sports in connection with the scheduled World Series Hockey for which they have signed a deal to play.

They returned to Bangalore for the camp but have not been allowed to rejoin training, pending their replies to the show cause issued by Hockey India's development committee head and chairman of its disciplinary panel, Pargat Singh.

Pillay also hit out at his one-time India teammate Pargat for having taken up a senior role in Hockey India, which, he said, is the brainchild of former Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi, who the former skipper had despised earlier.

"The same Pargat Singh had called Kalmadi mafia. He took up the job in Hockey India, which has been foisted by Kalmadi once the carrot of a position was dangled in front of him," said Pillay.

He said he will go all out in support of WSH, as "it's a very good thing for all Indian players".

"I am going to sign with them," the ace centre-forward added.